A Strategy for Woodworking #55: As If

I haven’t practiced sawing in a while. As if that makes any difference.

It does. I will get to the bench and try my hand at a dovetail and I won’t know where exactly to put my feet. Or rather, I put my feet where I think they’re supposed to go and they don’t feel quite right. Or I don’t feel right and I’m thinking about how to stand instead of standing and cutting. First tail gets done. I start to cut the second tail and I start to feel that things are getting right again. I launch into the third and now I know I’m back home.

It always takes time to find your pace. To find that body memory. It only takes practice.